No-drip saucer



L- G. PlCClRlLLl NO-DRIP SAUCER Sept. 15, 1970 Filed July 5, 1968 INVENTOR LOUIS G. PlCC'I R I LLl v ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,528,584 NO-DRIP SAUCER Louis G. Piccirilli, 24 Broadway,

Jersey City, NJ. 07306 Filed July 3, 1968, Ser. No. 742,351 Int. Cl. B65d 21/02; A47g 19/00 US. Cl. 220-2333 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to saucers. In particular it concerns saucers having a provision for catching and draining liquid spilled fro a cup placed thereon.

A common problem in drinking a cup of coffee, tea or other beverage from a cup used with a saucer is that liquid which spills or drips from the cup into the saucer collects in the saucer well and clings to the lower surface of the cup each time the cup is raised. At some point during the consumption of the beverage, part of the liquid collected in the saucer well generally adheres to the bottom of the cup and subsequently drips on a less desirable location such as a tablecloth or article of clothing, or becomes deposited on such an article if contacted by the lower surface of the cup.

Attempts at solving this problem have resulted in structures such as those found in Pat. No. 3,018,014 to Opolion and in Pat. No. 3,357,590 to Saiford. These patented devices consist of a disposable insert held in the saucer by gravity. It is possible, therefore, that the patented inserts might be dislodged while in use.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved saucer. Another object is to provide a draining support member in the saucer which will not become dislodged during use. An additional object is to provide a saucer having a draining horizontal support member which may be locked into the saucer and may easily be removed periodically for cleaning.

In furtherance of these and other objects which will appear in the detailed description of an embodiment of my invention, I have designed a saucer and a draining support member which may selectively be locked together to form a single unit.

The locking arrangement may take on many forms. In a preferred embodiment according to my invention the lock is an L-shaped slot in the support member which engages a finger projecting from the wall of the saucer well.

In this embodiment a skirt projects downward from the edge of the support member and rests on the bottom of the saucer well. A pair of L-shaped slots in the skirt serves to lock the saucer to the support member.

In the locked position the skirt touches the bottom of the saucer well to form the base of the support member and to prevent spilled liquid collected in the saucer well from flowing to other areas of the saucer in the event the saucer is accidentally tipped during use.

As herein disclosed, the invention is described with reference to one particular type of lock as shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that the disclosure is merely illustrative and is not intended as a restriction.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a saucer according to the invention with the draining sup- 3,528,584- Patented Sept. 15, 1970 port member locked into place, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support member of FIG. 1 showing details of the L-shaped slot, and FIG. 3 is a persepective view of the saucer according to my invention.

In FIG. 1 a saucer 10 having projecting fingers 12 and a well 13 is shown in looking engagement with a rigid perforated draining support member 15. A cup 11 is shown supported above the saucer well 11 by the support member 15.

FIG. 2 shows the details of construction of the support member 15.

The support member consists of a substantially flat portion 17 and a skirt 18 projecting orthogonally from the edge of the flat portion. A pair (only one is shown) of L-shaped slots 17 in the skirt 18 of the support member 15 form openings in the edge of the skirt. A group of holes 16 are provided in the fiat part 17 of the support member 18. A second group of holes 14 is provided around the junction of the flat portion and the skirt portion 18 of the support member 15.

FIG. 3 shows a saucer according to my invention having walls forming a well 13. A pair of fingers 12 projects from the wall toward the center of the saucer.

In order to lock the support member 15 into the saucer 10 the open end of the L-shaped slot 17 in the support member are aligned with the fingers 12 of the saucer 10. The support member 15 pressed toward the saucer well and rotated until the fingers 12 are no longer aligned with the open ends of the slots, but are aligned with the closed ends of the slots.

In this position the skirt 18 of the support member touches the bottom of the saucer well 13. Liquid spilled on the support member 15 will drain through holes 16 into the saucer well. In the event the saucer is tipped during use the skirt will impede the flow of liquid from the well.

The flat part 17 of the support member maintains a cup 11 of liquid above the well and prevents contact between the cup and spilled liquid collected in the well.

In order to empty the well, the saucer is placed in a vertical position allowing the liquid to drain from the well through holes 14.

Periodically the support may be removed from the saucer by rotating the support member with respect to the saucer until the open end of the L-shaped slot is aligned with the projecting fingers, and by lifting the support from the saucer.

Thus, the support may selectively be locked within the saucer well and easily removed.

What is claimed is:

1. A no-drip saucer assembly for use with a cup of liquid comprising, a saucer having a base and walls forming a well, a rigid substantially fiat support member having holes for the passage of a liquid therethrough, means for selectively locking said support members to said saucer in a position above and parallel to the base of the saucer well, whereby liquid spilled on the support will drain therethrough and remain separated from a cup placed on the support member, said locking means comprising a skirt projecting outward from the edge of said support member a distance sufiicient to touch the base of the saucer well when said member is in said locked position, a circumferential slot on said skirt and a finger projecting inwardly from the wall of the saucer well for engaging said slot when said support member is placed within said well.

2. An assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the junction of said skirt and said fiat portion of said support member has at least one hole for the drainage of liquid therethrough.

3. A no-drip saucer assembly for use with a cup of liquid comprising a saucer having a base and walls forming a substantially circular Well, a rigid substantially fiat disc shaped support member having holes for the passage of liquid therethrough, an annular skirt projecting outward from the edge of said support member, the junction of said skirt and said support member having at least one hole for the passage of liquid therethrough, said skirt having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said Well, and having a circumferential slot, and a finger projecting from the Wall of the well towards the center of said Well 4 and engaging said slot in said skirt for selectively locking said skirt and support member to said saucer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,811 9/1908' Stewart 220-23.83 3,357,590 12/1967 Safiord 22023.83

GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner 

